Motor-fan assembly for electric hair dryer



July 25, 1967 T. E. BEDNARSKI ET AL MOTOR-FAN ASSEMBLY FOR ELECTRIC HAIR DRYER Filed May 13, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 25; 1967 T, EDNARSK ET AL 3,332,611

MOTOR-FAN ASSEMBLY FOR ELECTRIC HAIR DRYER Filed May 13, 1964 5, Sheets-Sheet 2 M 47 lm/enzm, 9 L Thaddeus [Bea rm 7 5 I] j v 5 J 6 f Webb 5 Warren 1? W061 J3. ZM/JMW, WWW

zil qr w y 25, 1967 T. E. BEDNARSKI E AL 3,332,611

MOTOR-FAN ASSEMBLY FOR ELECTRIC HAIR DRYER Filed May 13, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 THEHMOSTHT United States Patent 3,332,611 MOTOR-FAN ASSEMBLY FOR ELECTRIC HAIR DRYER Thaddeus E. Bednarski, John F. Wall], and Warren P.

Wahl, Sterling, Ill., assignors to Wahl Clipper Corporation, Sterling, 11]., a corporation of Illinois Filed May 13, 1964, Ser. No. 367,173 2 Claims. (Cl. 230-117) This invention relates to an electric hair dryer, and more particularly to a motor-fan assembly adapted to be installed in an exterior housing, the assembly and housing complementing each other in a functional manner.

One object of the invention is to provide a compact, economical and efficient assembly of electric motor and fan, including controls therefor, for a portable electric hair dryer. The assembly is of such construction, size and shape as to cooperate functionally with the dryer housing.

Another object is to provide a unitary assembly comprising a mounting member, motor and fan, including controls therefor, wherein the mounting member when installed in a suitable dryer housing is adapted for complementary relation with cooperating portions of the housing to form motor and fan compartments and an air duct for the discharge of air interiorly of the housing.

A further object is to provide a mounting member adapted to support an electric heating element in effective relation with the aforesaid air duct.

Still another object is to provide a mounting member having a shield or hood portion adapted, when installed in a suitable housing, to partition the housing so as to separate the motor, fan and heating element from the remainder of the housing interior, thereby enabling use of a substantial portion of the housing interior for storing appurtenances of the dryer such as the power cord, flexible hose and dryer hood.

A further object is to provide a mounting member having shock absorbing characteristics.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the course of the following description.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of an assembly embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the assembly shown in FIG. 1, the mounting member shown in sectional view on line 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the assembly.

FIG. 4 is a rear elevational view of the assembly.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view on line 5-5 of FIG. 3.

FIG. '6 is a diagram of circuitry used in the invention.

The illustrated assembly embodying the invention comprises a mounting member having a generally circular plate portion 11, best shown in FIGS. 1, 4 and 5, that when mounted in a housing is disposed in a vertical plane.

Mounting member 10 also has a transverse arcuate hood portion 12 of minor peripheral extent on the upper edge of plate portion 11. The peripheral extent of the illustrated hood portion 12 is about 135 degrees. Hood portion 12 has an outwardly extending transverse lip 13 at its upper end, and a horizontal portion 14 at its lower end on the front side of plate portion 11. Plate portion 11 has a tail portion 15 adjacent horizontal portion 14.

Portions 14 and 15 merge and taper in the region designated 16 in FIGS. 2, 3, and terminate in an outlet flange 17. The arrangement and configuration of portions 14 and 15 is such that when the assembly is installed for operation in a housing the portions will complement adjacent portions of the housing to form an air duct 18, and an outlet 19 therefrom for the discharge of air interiorly of the housing. The outlet is adapted for connection with a hose communicating with a usual hood (not shown).

Plate portion 11 has a central opening 20 (FIGS. 2, 4

and 5 and offset cantilever portions forming brackets 21, 21 (FIG. 5) extending generally parallel to plate portion 11 and partially bridging the opening. Brackets 21, 21 include web portions 22, 22 having openings 23, 23 therein for receiving bolts 24, 24.

Bolts 24, 24 support a motor 26 for operating a blower system including a fan 27. The latter is mounted on motor shaft 28 which extends through opening 20 in plate portion 11. Thus, motor 26 is located on one side of plate portion 11, and fan 27 is located on the other.

Motor shaft 28 is journalled for rotation in bearings 29, 30 (FIG. 2) mounted in spaced supporting members 31, 32.

Members 31, 32, as shown, are generally of elongated diamond shape (FIG. 4), and have openings adjacent their ends for receiving bolts 24. Members 31, 32, as shown in FIG. 2, embrace a portion of motor 26 and are spaced therefrom by means of sleeves carried on bolts 24. The latter also extend through openings in motor 26.

Fan 27 comprises a series of blades 37 (FIGS. 1, 2 and 5) extending radially of a hub 38, and a disk 39 at the outer end of the hub that engages the blades. The edges of the blades opposite disk 39 and facing plate portion 11 are arcuate, the edges receding radially inward from adjacent plate portion 11 to hub 38. The latter is mounted rigidly on motor shaft 28.

A grill 45 (FIG. 3,) comprises a row of spaced horizontally extending rod members 46 on tail portion 15 of plate portion 11, the row aligned with the lower edge of hood portion 12. Grill 45 serves to screen air flowing to fan 27 across motor 26 and through opening 20 in plate v portion 11.

A resistance heating element 47 (FIG. 1) is disposed adjacent merging hood and plate portions 14 and 15 in effective position to heat air flowing through air duct 18. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, heating element 47 is carried by a thermostat 48 that in turn is mounted between spac d lugs 49 on plate portion 15. A circuit diagram including heating element 47 and thermostat 48 is shown in FIG. 6.

Hood portion 12 has a recess 50 (FIG. 4) for receiving a protective grommet 51 on power cord 52.

A four-position switch 53 (FIG. 4) is mounted on the underside of hood portion 12 on the motor side of plate portion 11, a switch shaft 54 extending through an opening in hood portion 12.

A control knob 56 is mounted on the outer end of switch shaft 54 to rotate the latter to selected positions of adjustment useful in the operation of a dryer, according to a legend 57 (FIG. 3) set forth on hood portion 12 adjacent the knob. An index mark 59 is provided on knob 56 for the purpose of indicating a selected position of adjustment, e.g., OFF, COOL, WARM and HOT.

FIG. 6 is a self-explanatory schematic diagram of circuitry used in the illustrated form of the invention.

Mounting member 10, including plate and hood portions 11 and 12, preferably is of molded plastic material having suitable resilience to absorb shock incident to occupational mishap such as dropping the dryer, thus reducing likelihood of breakage or dislocation of parts. This shockabsorbing characteristic is enhanced by the cantilever arrangement of integral brackets 21, 21 for motor 26. In addition, bottoming pins 65 and 66 (FIGS. 2, 4 and 5) integral with plate portion 11 are spaced a short distance from motor 26. In cases of extreme shock, motor 26 engages the pins, thereby limiting distortion and preventing damage.

The motor-fan assembly thus shown and described is designed for installation in a portable housing (not shown) having spaced front and rear walls and a closure wall therebetween. For this purpose the assembly is provided with various means arranged to complement or cooperate with corresponding means associated with the housing. For example, hood 12 portion has on one longitudinal edge spaced lugs 67 (FIGS. 1, 3, 4 and 5) bored for receiving screws, and on the other, spaced posts or rods 68 having screw-receiving openings (FIGS. 3 and 4). Inaddition, the outer extremities of grill members 46 are receivable in housing recesses (not shown), while plate 11 has peripheral lugs 69 (FIGS. 1, 4 and 5) that help secure the assembly in the housing. Further, tail portion 15 of plate portion 11 has a screw-receiving opening 70 (FIGS. 1, 4 and 5).

' When the motor-fan assembly of the invention is mounted in a housing, hood portion 12 partitions the motor and fan from the remaining space within the housing, leaving a grill-covered opening for the entrance of air. In addition, the plate and hood portions are complemented by the housing closure wall and adjacent front and rear walls to provide separate chambers for motor 26 and fan 27, while the merging plate and hood portions are complemented by portions of said closure wall and adjacent housing wall to form a tangential outlet duct.

The motor-fan assembly of the invention is shown mounted in a suitable housing in the copending application of John F. Wahl, Serial No. 367,174, filed May 13, 1964.

From the above description it is thought that the construction and advantages of this invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Various changes in detail may be made without departing from the spirit or losing the advantages of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A motor-fan assembly for an electric hair dryer,

comprising:

a mounting member of unitary resilient plastic material including a generally circular plate portion having a central opening, a generally tangential tail portion on said plate'portion, and a transverse arcuate hood portion of minor peripheral extent on the edge of said plate portion, said hood portion having a horizontal portion adjacent said tail portion, said tail and horizontal portions merging to form two walls of a tangential outlet duct on one side of said plate portion;

opposed cantilever brackets of resilient plastic material on said plate portion overhanging said central opening;

a motor mounted on said cantilever brackets;

bottoming pins on said plate portion, each having a free end adjacent to and spaced from said motor and engageable by said motor under conditions of extreme shock;

a motor shaft extending through the central opening of said plate portion; and

a fan mounted on said shaft and disposed on said one side of said plate portion in eflective relation with said outlet duct walls;

said assembly mountable in a cooperating housing having spaced front and rear walls and a'closure wall therebetween, wherein (1) said hood portion partitions said motor and fan from the remaining space within the housing, (2) said plate and hood portions are complemented by portions of said closure front and rear walls and adjacent housing wall to enclose said motor and fan in separate compartments and (3) said merging tail and horizontal portions are complemented by portions of said closure wall and adjacent housing wall to form the tangential outlet duct.

2. The combination of claim 1 with the addition of spaced parallel grill members on the motor side of said plate portion to screen air flowing to said fan, said grill 0 members normal to said plate portion and lying in a plane extending generally along the junction of said plate and tail portions.

References Cited ANTHONY BARTIS, Primary Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,332,611 July 25, 1967 Thaddeus E. Bednarski et al.

It is certified that error appears in the above identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 4, linesZO and 21, cancel "front and rear walls ancl ad acent houslng wall to enclose" and insert wall and ad acent housing front and rear walls to enclose Signed and sealed this 29th day of July 1969.

(SEAL) Attest:

Edward M. Fletcher, Jr. WILLIAM E. SCHUYLER, JR.

Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

1. A MOTOR-FAN ASSEMBLY FOR AN ELECTIC HAIR DRYER, COMPRISING: A MOUNTING MEMBER OF UNITARY RESILIENT PLASTIC MATERIAL INCLUDING A GENERALLY CIRCULAR PLATE PORTION HAVING A CENTRAL OPENING, A GENERALLY TANGENTIAL TAIL PORTION ON SAID PLATE PORTION, AND A TRANSVERSE ARCUATE HOOD PORTION OF MINOR PERIPHERAL EXTENT ON THE EDGE OF SAID PLATE PORTION, SAID HOOD PORTION HAVING A HORIZONTAL PORTION ADJACENT SAID TAIL PORTION, SAID TAIL AND HORIZONTAL PORTIONS MERGING TO FORM TWO WALLS OF A TANGENTIAL OUTLET DUCT ON ONE SIDE OF SAID PLATE PORTION; OPPOSED CANTILEVER BRACKETS OF RESILIENT PLASTIC MATERIAL ON SAID PLATE PORTION OVERHANGING SAID CENTRAL OPENING: A MOTOR MOUNTED ON SAID CANTILEVER BRACKETS; BOTTOMING PINS ON SAID PLATE PORTION, EACH HAVING A FREE END ADJACENT TO AND SPACED FROM SAID MOTOR AND ENGAGEABLE BY SAID MOTOR UNDER CONDITIONS OF EXTREME SHOCK; A MOTOR SHAFT EXTENDING THROUGH THE CENTRAL OPENING OF SAID PLATE PORTION; AND A FAN MOUNTED ON SAID SHAFT AND DISPOSED ON SAID ONE SIDE OF SAID PLATE PORTION IN EFFECTIVE RELATION WITH SAID OUTLET DUCT WALLS; SAID ASSEMBLY MOUNTABLE IN A COOPERATING HOUSING HAVING SPACED FRONT AND REAR WALLS AND A CLOSURE WALL THEREBETWEEN, WHEREIN (1) SAID HOOD PORTION PARTITIONS SAID MOTOR AND FAN FROM THE REMAINING SPACE WITHIN THE HOUSING, (2) SAID PLATE AND HOOD PORTIONS ARE COMPLEMENTED BY PORTIONS OF SAID CLOSURE FRONT AND REAR WALLS AND ADJACENT HOUSING WALL TO ENCLOSE SAID MOTOR AND FAN IN SEPARATE COMPARTMENTS AND (3) SAID MERGING TAIL AND HORIZONTAL PORTIONS ARE COMPLEMENTED BY PORTIONS OF SAID CLOSURE WALL AND ADJACENT HOUSING WALL TO FORM THE TANGENTIAL OUTLET DUCT. 